2020英语翻译高级口译笔试真题：阅读简答部分

2020英语翻译高级口译笔试真题：阅读简答部分

阅读简答题部分解析

高口阅读简答题部分要求考生快速解析文章结构，理清文章思路，为进一步确定细节做好准备。

Parenthood should be affordable in this country, butthe cost of raising a child from birth to adulthood is now a quarter of amillion dollars and projected to double by the

time today's toddlers reach their teens.

首段无需过度投入，只需看到两个关键词affordable 和cost 便

知文章的话题所在。

Will having kids soon be out of reach economically

formany American families? A recent report from the Center

for American Progress found that middle-class families are feeling an unprecedented economic squeeze- caught between stagnating wages and the exploding cost of basics like housing, health care and children's education. Most families, it seems, are getting by on less and living closer to the financial edge to help their kids grow up healthy and get ahead.

第二段开篇以设问形式点出文章主体：为什么迫于经济压力，很

多美国家庭无法生儿育女?答案的关键词在于“caughtbetween stagnating wages and the exploding cost of basics”

The most striking growth in costs to families has beenin child care, where expenses have climbed about $200 annually

in each of thelast dozen years, with nearly ten fold growth since the 1960s. Child care, on average, consumes $1 of every

$5 in a family's budget and exceeds the typical rent in every state.

本段以细节形式点出抚养儿女的成本增加之快。

In terms of their kids' health, families increasingly have to choose between treating their children's medical needs and paying household bills. Despite gains in the percentage of children with health insurance, per capita medical spending on kids has quietly ballooned faster than

for any other age group, with families paying more for premiums and steeper out-of-pocket expenses.

本段首句再度说明很多家庭的问题在于两难之选：choose between treating their children's medical needsand paying household bills。

For evidence to suggest that middle-class parents might already be getting priced out of parenthood, look to the national birth rate. It fell sharply in the recession but, unlike in previous economicre bounds, has continued to drop. This makes sense in financial context, given that most families haven't seen their incomes grow since the recovery began andthe median net worth of households has actually fallen below what it was 15years ago. Most families today

don't have enough saved to meet basic needs for three months, let alone save for college or retirement.

那么背后的深层原因何在?段落首句直指national birthrate, 下面的细节能够暂时忽略不读。

For folks in the middle class, the economic calculus of raising kids must be daunting. Not only are the costs unaffordable, but parents also face a harsh ultimatum： "Keep